I have terrible memories of fetching water from the tank at night, during the dry season. Our water tank was raised, sitting on a stand creating a cool space underneath it. With no water anywhere, there were some toads that resided in that space under the tank. Water was rationed by our mother, we could only fetch one 5 liter jerrican at a time to avoid misuse.
At the water point, directly under the tap, there were always some drops of water that dripped when we drew water with our 5 liter jerricans. That is the “swampy” spot the toads occupied, especially during the night. We took turns fetching water from the tank especially to stock up for breakfast. Our mother made sure there was water in the house before we went to bed, and one of us had to go fetch it.
I still remember my first time going to the tank at night. I armed myself with a torch, keys in one hand to open the padlock and I bravely headed to the tank. I had heard about the toads, so I hoped and prayed the toad family had gone out to dinner that night so I could fetch my water in peace. I approached the tank, carefully shining the flash light on the spot under the tap. Nothing there. It was now safe to place my jerrican under the tap as I opened the padlock. Before the jerrican landed fully, it was knocked out of my hands and tossed up in the air as toads leapt in every direction. I tossed the keys and the flashlight up in the air as I jumped as high as my legs could lift me off the ground incase some toad headed in my direction.
After the shock subsided, I fetched the flashlight which thankfully was still lit, I was able to locate it easily. I gathered the keys and the jerrican and was able to fetch the water. This was no chore for a scared little girl, but duty rotation in my house was serious business. Everybody did their part with zero excuses. Also for me, being the only girl amongst five boys, I always felt the need to prove I was nearly as tough as they were, otherwise they would overrun me. My mother hated that trait in me and often reminded me to be gentle “like a girl”, a polite way of calling me Wanja Kihii (tomboy). Well, I may have been a little dramatic like my mother (ngima yuumaga mutu ini) and a bit rough on the edges like my brothers, but that did not make me any less of a ‘lady’ if you asked me. Mother did not seem to understand what I was up against. In case she had not noticed, we lived in a male dominated society but I was determined to chip away at it, one act of bravery at a time no matter how scared I felt.
For my future water fetching escapades, I started carrying rocks or sticks to scare off the toad family before I got any closer. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didnt. They had become so comfortable in that space they did not scare easily, so it became a clash of the titans until the rains came and the toad family relocated to ponds and streams that formed all over the farm.
I was creeped out by reptiles and amphibians back then and my phobia has only intensified as I grew older. I dont want to see them, be near them, or even watch them on TV. That is how deep my trauma is. If anybody knows of a support group that rehabilitates middle aged people like me, call me up.
